Enzo Maresca should be sick of the sight of Kaoru Mitoma. Per week after he despatched them tumbling out of the FA Cup, a panoramic piece of management from the Japan winger to attain the opening purpose arrange one other memorable victory for Brighton and piled extra strain on the Chelsea supervisor.
It meant a 3rd defeat of their final 4 matches as Cole Palmer endured one other irritating evening labouring as a false 9 earlier than having to be cajoled to greet these travelling supporters who remained on the finish. At occasions Maresca appeared misplaced on the touchline as he watched his aspect battle to reply after Yankuba Minteh had made it 2-0 earlier than half-time.
Minteh’s second of the evening killed off any hopes of a comeback and it may have was a Valentine’s Day bloodbath had Mitoma, João Pedro or Joël Veltman taken late probabilities. However having suffered his largest defeat since taking on in the summertime and with Fabian Hürzeler’s aspect transferring to inside six factors of his expensively assembled squad, the Chelsea supervisor can be questioning the place the subsequent win is coming from.
“We have to present extra want,” stated Maresca, whose aspect didn’t even register a shot on track. “We really feel upset and we really feel very sorry for the followers. On this second you can not provide this sort of efficiency with 14 video games to go. The followers have a proper to be upset and the unhealthy feeling is that we’re conceding too many probabilities and never creating sufficient. This can be a second when we have to stick collectively.”
Maresca dismissed criticism from some supporters this week after saying that their exit from the FA Cup meant they may focus on the Premier League, insisting that qualifying for the Champions League for the primary time since 2022 would take the membership again to the place they “belong”. On this proof, they are going to be lucky to be again within the Convention League subsequent season. “Most likely since I arrived, that’s [our] worst efficiency,” the Chelsea supervisor instructed Sky Sports activities.
The choice to recall Filip Jörgensen instead of Robert Sánchez in purpose meant the house followers had one fewer former participant to boo. However they picked up the place they left off final week every time Moisés Caicedo or Marc Cucurella touched the ball.
Hürzeler known as on his gamers to enhance their wretched latest house kind that had seen them fail to win any of their final 5 league matches on the Amex Stadium if they’re to face any probability of qualifying for Europe subsequent season and as soon as once more bought the response he required. “We knew that we needed to be compact towards Chelsea however in each video games the depth was the important thing,” the Brighton supervisor stated.
After blazing over when he had an early sight of purpose, Palmer’s subsequent effort was even worse because it skewed approach off beam following a surging run down the suitable flank that proved to be the tip of Noni Madueke’s night. He limped off with a hamstring damage and was changed by Jadon Sancho.
Brighton, of their first league sport since a 7-0 humbling by Nottingham Forest, had proven solely glimpses of their risk up till that time and their breakthrough got here from essentially the most direct means potential. Bart Verbruggen – whose disastrous personal purpose final week gifted Chelsea the lead – picked out Mitoma with a raking go and the Japan winger’s first contact because the ball dropped over his head was immaculate earlier than he drifted previous Trevoh Chalobah and curled the ball previous Jörgensen with aplomb. “Once I noticed his first contact … I’ve seen him do it numerous occasions in coaching,” stated Danny Welbeck. “It was a factor of magnificence.”
Chelsea additionally had the ball within the web however the celebrations had been minimize quick when Enzo Fernández was adjudged to have dedicated a foul. As a substitute it was the house followers who couldn’t comprise their pleasure when a haphazard Chelsea defence did not cease Georginio Rutter’s cross and Minteh saved his cool to fit house from shut vary after being arrange by Welbeck.
Maresca despatched his gamers out early into the chilly Sussex evening for the second half however the break didn’t seem to make a lot distinction. Rutter ought to have finished higher when arrange by Minteh and will solely direct his shot effectively over. However Minteh made no such mistake when Levi Colwill gave the ball away cheaply and Welbeck once more turned supplier for Brighton’s third. Malo Gusto’s reward for taking part in him onside was to be hauled off for Reece James, whereas £115m signing Caicedo was greeted with chants of “What a waste of cash!” when he made approach.
Mitoma may solely hearth straight at Jörgensen after a speedy break downfield as Brighton went for the jugular. The Chelsea goalkeeper was lucky that the substitute João Pedro couldn’t hit the goal after intercepting a horrible go out from the again earlier than Veltman struck a publish late on. The best way issues have been going for Maresca, he’ll be glad about small mercies.
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